FirstEnergy Corp (FE): Today's Featured Utilities Laggard

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

FirstEnergy ( FE) pushed the Utilities sector lower today making it today's featured Utilities laggard. The sector as a whole was unchanged today. By the end of trading, FirstEnergy fell 46 cents (-1.1%) to $41.56 on average volume. Throughout the day, 3.2 million shares of FirstEnergy exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 2.3 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $41.52-$42.16 after having opened the day at $42.05 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $42.02. Other companies within the Utilities sector that declined today were: GreenHunter Energy ( GRH), down 5.6%, Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora No ( EDN), down 5%, China Hydroelectric Corporation ( CHC), down 2.5%, and Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras ( EBR), down 2.4%.

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FirstEnergy Corp. operates as a diversified energy company. The company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. FirstEnergy has a market cap of $17.44 billion and is part of the utilities industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 17.4, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 5.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday. Currently there are four analysts that rate FirstEnergy a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 11 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates FirstEnergy as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its good cash flow from operations, attractive valuation levels and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.